


Cheater, Cheater

by ArgentSleeper



Series: Episode AUs [12]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Episode: s05e13 The Diamond of the Day, Fluff, Gen, Magic Revealed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2015-09-07
Packaged: 2018-04-19 15:32:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4751585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArgentSleeper/pseuds/ArgentSleeper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Out of all the lies Merlin's told him, there's just one Arthur can't get over quite so easily.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cheater, Cheater

**Author's Note:**

> Well I was TRYING to write something sad and depressing and it was going to make you all cry, but nope, chat decided that wasn't happening and just had to post pictures of Merthur finale eyesex. So have some floof instead.
> 
> Written for my Merlin Writer's Bingo square "Forced Proximity."

 

Arthur slumped against the tree Merlin had propped him up against the night before. One glance at the sky told him he’d slept far too long for the trip they still had to make, but he was grateful for the rest. Merlin puttered around their makeshift camp, stirring a pot on the fire and checking on the horses. His back remained to Arthur the whole time, as if he could tell Arthur wasn’t ready to see his face quite yet.

Finally neither of them could put it off any longer.  Merlin brought over a bowl of porridge, kneeling beside him and holding out a spoonful. “Here, this’ll be good for you.”

Arthur ignored him. It was probably poisoned.

“Come on, Arthur, you need to eat.”

“Why are you doing this?” Arthur demanded. Merlin frowned and leaned back a bit. The part of Arthur that wasn’t so crushed winced to see the wounded look in his former friend’s eyes, but he knocked that part down. “Why are you still behaving like a servant?”

Merlin could probably destroy the world in the blink of an eye if what Gaius said was true, and after seeing the display against Morgana and her army, Arthur was inclined to believe him. Yet here he was, drying Arthur’s boots and making his meals and blathering on about destiny and their first meeting.

Despite everything, Arthur couldn’t help but think on that day fondly. “I tried to take your head off with a mace.”

“And I stopped you, using magic.”

Magic. Merlin had magic. Even after a full day and a half Arthur still couldn’t wrap his head around it. But impossible as it was it explained so much more than it didn’t.  A realization hit him, and he glared accusingly at Merlin.  "You cheated!”

Merlin just huffed a laugh, unperturbed. “You _were_ going to kill me.”

“Not then!” Arthur weakly waved a hand in dismissal. “The other night, playing dice. I _knew_ you shouldn’t have beaten me!”

“ _Dice?_ ” Merlin gaped. “You’re upset because I cheated at _dice?_ ”

“So you admit it! You, Merlin of Ealdor, are a rotten, lying cheater. I expect you to pay me back every coin. And if you’ve somehow gone and spent it all already, which I’ve no doubt you have, you’re going to spend the rest of your days working off your debt to me.”

Merlin’s smile was gone, his eyes bright now with something other than mirth. “The rest of my days? With you?”

Arthur inched his hand over until he found Merlin’s and squeezed it tight. “Well, it doesn’t seem like I can get rid of you. Gods, even when you say you’re staying behind you end up right back at my side again.”

“You mean back where I belong.”

“Yes. Where you belong.”

 


End file.
